Padlock having gravity actuated detent



Nov. 17, 1953 w. G. DUCHARME 2,659,228

PADLOCK HAVING GRAVITY ACTUATED DETENT Filed Sept. 20. 1949 /Z c7 .4. k\\\\\\\\\i\\ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PADLOCK HAVING GRAVITY ACTUATED DETEN 3 Claims.

This invention relates to locks of a keyless type in which a bail is locked in and released from a lock body or casing without a key or other externally applied device and Without the usual lock combination operating instrumentalities, and in particular the lock includes a body having a bail pivotally mounted therein with one end of the bail extended into a recess in the body and adapted to be locked in the recess by a ball or roller freely mounted in an arcuate passage in the body.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a lock having a pivotally mounted bail in which the free end of the bail is automatically secured in the look as it is inserted in the bodythereof and in which the bail may be released without a key or the like and without the usual combination lock elements.

In the usual type of lock a bail is secured in a casing or lock body by pins or tumblers that are actuated by a key or combination elements but these require substantially accurate machining and for toys and other uses where a positive or efficient lock is not required it is desired to provide a simple form of lock which to the average layman appears to be positively locked but which may readily be released by actuating the lock body. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a lock in which the lock-- ing element is positioned in an arcuate passage so that while it positively locks the end of a bail in the lock body it may readily be released by actuating the locking elements away from the locking position.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a comparatively simple form of lock in which a bail of the lock may be released by a slight twisting of the lock body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock in which the lock element is actuated without a key or the like and in which the lock is particularly adapted for use as a toy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of the keyless type which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a lock having a split body with a bail pivotally mounted between sections thereof and with a ball freely mounted in an arcuate passage therein in which the ball is adapted to lock an end of the bail inthe body. v

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the lock with the interior thereof shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the lock being taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of th lock looking toward the end in which the bail is pivotally mounted.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the lock being taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1. s

Figure 5 is a detail showing the inner surface of one of the sections of the lock body illustrating the positions of the recess, passage and slot therein.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved lock of this invention includes a lock body formed of sections It and ii, a bail i2 andaba1ll3.

The sections I and I! are secured together by rivets I4 and I which are positioned in openings I6 and I? of the section H of the body and corresponding openings in the section it. The pin [5 extends through a slot I8 formed in adjoining surfaces of the sections 10 and H and an eye [9 on the end of the bail I2 is positioned in the slot and pivotally mounted in the lock body by the pin l5.

The other side of the lock body is provided with a recess also formed in the inner surfaces of the sections l0 and I! and the free end of the bail !2 extends into this recess with a projection 2| on the tip thereof passing through a slot 22 in the inner part of the recess where it engages the ball l3, and as the bail is snapped into the recess the projection 21 moves the ball inwardly and as it passes the ball the ball rolls back to the position shown in Figure 1 by gravity where it positively prevents withdrawal of the end of the bail.

With the lock in a vertical position as illustrated in Figure 1 the bail is positively locked in the lock body by the ball and when it is desired to open the lock the lock body is tilted to the right or in a. clockwise direction so that the ball I3 rolls over in the arcuate passage 23, also formed in the inner. surfaces of the sections I0 and I I, and releases the bail.

The device ordinarily provides a positive lock as from the exterior there is nothing to indicate that the ball may be rolled away from the projection of the bail.

The 1001: may be made of any suitable material and may be provided in different sizes.

The sections l0 and I l of the lock body are complementary and the ball is placed in the passage 23 as the parts are assembled and as the width of the recess 20 is less than that of the passage 23 the ball is locked in the passage and is free to roll therein. The eye IQ of the bail i2 is also positioned on the pin I5 in the slot l8 as the parts are assembled, and with the parts assembled in this manner and riveted together it will be difiicult to determine just how the lock operates irom the exterior thereof.v

It will beunderstood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lock of the keyless type, the combination which comprises a lock body-having a. slotin one end adjacent one side thereof a recess extended inwardly from the end in which the slot is positioned and an arcuate passage in the interior thereof and communicating with the recess; said recess being positioned adjacent the sideof the body opposite to that near, whichthe slot is positioned and said arcuate passagev extended across and spaced from the end in which:

the slot and recess are positioned, a ballin .said

arcuate passage, a bail extended from said end' of the lock body with one end of the bail pivotally'mounted in the slot of the body and with the opposite end: positioned to extend into the recess:

of the body, said bail having a projection positioned to be engaged by the ball in the arcuatetended across and spaced from the endin which. the slot and recess arepositioned, a ball insaid arc-Hate. passage, a bail extended from said end:

d of the lock body with one end of the bail pivotally mounted in the slot of the body and with the opposite end positioned to extend into the recess of the body, said bail having a projection thereon positioned to be engaged by the ball in the arcuate passage for temporarily securing the free end of the bail in the body, said lock body formed of two complementary sections and saidi sections riveted together providing a substantially-solidlock body.

3. In a lock of the keyless type, the combination which comprises a lock body having a slot in oneend adjacent one side thereof, a recess extended'inwardly from the end in which the slot is positioned and an arcuate passage in the interior thereof and communicating with the recess said. recess being positioned adjacent the side of the body opposite to that near which the slot is positioned and said arcuate passage extended across and spaced from the end in which the slot andirecessare positioned, a ball in said arcuate passage, abail extended from said end of the lock body, with one endof. the bail pivotally mounted-in the slot of the body and with the opposite. end positioned to, extend into the recess of the body, said bail having a projection positioned to be engaged by the ball in the arcuate passage for temporarily securing the free end of the bail in the body, said lock body having a slot positioned. to communicate with the recess into which the end of the bail extends and said slot positioned to receive the projection on the end ofthe bail.

WILLIAM G. DUCHARME.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Jan. 2, 1914 

